Science: Out of This World

The Navy claimed a big record last week. Although the figures were
secret, the carefully worded announcement said that at Edwards Air
Force Base in the Mojave Desert, the Douglas Skyrocket (D558-2) had
"attained the highest speed and altitude ever recorded by a piloted
plane."

The little (4O-ft.) white Skyrocket had waited a long time for its day
of glory. Built as a Navy experimental ship, it made its first take-off
from Muroc's long, dry lake bed almost three years ago. Even then it
could crack through the sonic barrier, but for a supersonic...